Has the world gone crazy? A political party that elected an accused wife beater as its leader is roiled by anonymous accusations that a member who is no longer in the Legislature tickled women years ago? He not only tickled women, but threatened to tickle others. And even asked one if she liked to be tickled. What a beast! One ex-MLA--- one of the fearless, strong, independent NDP women---has come forward to say that she, whoever she is, was tickled, too. And not once. Twice. TWICE, we say. Within four, or maybe eight, or possibly even 17 years. And nobody stopped this animal? An army of aggrieved females has declared they will put an end to tickling in politics. Never again, they say. But where were they when a woman came forward last year to say that her former common-law husband, Wab Kinew, dragged her along the ground by her hair to show her how a real man treats his woman. Another time, she said, Kinew threw her across the room of their home so vici
The origin of the Usher of the Black Rod goes back to early fourteenth century England . Today, with no royal duties to perform, the Usher knocks on the doors of the House of Commons with the Black Rod at the start of Parliament to summon the members. The rod is a symbol for the authority of debate in the upper house. We of The Black Rod adopted the symbol to knock some sense and the right questions into the heads of Legislators, pundits, and other opinion makers.